Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) is the principal and volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard. The SLAVF is made up of part-time officers and soldiers. They are paid at a similar rate, while engaged on military activities, as their regular equivalents. This is in contrast to the Regular Army Reserve, which comprises people who have a mobilization obligation following their service in the regular army. Administration and recruitment of reserve personal is carried out by the Volunteer Force Headquarters in Shalawa, Kosgama. The head of the SLAVF is the Commandant of the Volunteer Force.
| Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force | |
|---|---|
| ශ්රී ලංකා යුද්ධ හමුදා ස්වේච්ඡා බළසේනාව இலங்கை இராணுவ தொண்டர் படையணி | |
 | |
| Active | 1949 – Present |
| Allegiance |  Sri Lanka |
| Branch |  Sri Lanka Army |
| Type | Reserve force |
| Role | Operational support |
| Size | 50,000 |
| Garrison/HQ | Salawa Army Camp, Kosgama |
| Colors | |
| Website | slavf |
| Commanders | |
| Commandant of the Volunteer Force | Maj. Gen. H J S Gunawardena RSP VSV USP ndc psc |
| Deputy Commandant | Maj. Gen. K P Nugegoda RWP RSP |
| Principal Staff Officer | Brig. K Liyanage RWP RSP ndu |
History
The SLAVF was founded in 1861 when the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers were created.
Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers
The second phase in the employment of non-British military personnel commenced in 1861 after an ordinance authorized the creation of Volunteer Corps. This move addressed the disbanding of the Ceylon Rifle Regiment in 1874. The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers was originally administered as a single unit. However over the years various sections of the volunteers grew large enough to become independent. The different units that emerged from the Volunteer Force were:
Ceylon Defence Force
In 1910 the name of the military was changed to the Ceylon Defence Force (CDF). It continued to grow throughout the early 20th century. The CDF saw active service when a contingent of the Ceylon Mounted Infantry (CMI) in 1900, and a contingent of Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps (CPRC) in 1902, took part in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Their services were recognized by presentation, in 1902, of a color to the CMI, and a presentation in 1904, of a Banner to the CPRC. In 1922, the CDF was honored by the presentation of the King's and Regimental colors to the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI).
During the First World War, many volunteers from the Defence Force traveled to England and joined the British Army, and many were killed in action. One of them mentioned by Arthur Conan Doyle was Private Jacotine of the CLI, who was the last man left alive in his unit at the Battle of Lys, and who fought for 20 minutes before he was killed.[1]
In 1939, the CDF was mobilized and an enormous expansion took place that required raising new units such as the Post and Telegraph Signals, the Ceylon Railway Engineer Corps, the Ceylon Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Corps, the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the Ceylon Corps of Military Police, the Ceylon Signals Corps and the Colombo Town Guard Unit, which had been previously disbanded, but was re-formed to meet military requirements. During the Second World War Britain assumed direct control over the Armed Forces of Ceylon.[2]
Ceylon Volunteer Force
Following the formation of the Army in 1949, the CDF became the nucleus of the Ceylon Army and all volunteer units of the CDF—which was the majority—became the Ceylon Volunteer Force (CVF). Many Second World War veterans were serving in the CVF at the time and in the post-Independence years, the CVF played an important role while a new regular army was forming. During this time the CVF was mobilized repeatedly to counter riots and strikes.
1962 attempted military coup
In 1962, senior officers CVF were implicated in a failed attempted coup. The government arrested and prosecuted the Commandant, Deputy Commandant, four volunteer battalion commanding officers and junior officers including the staff officer, CVF HQ. As a result, the volunteer force was scaled down with number of units disbanded.
Counter-insurgency operations
In 1971, the volunteer units were called up with the start of the 1971 Insurrection undertaking counter-insurgency operations. With the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the volunteer force expanded along with the regular force and since 1993 remained mobilized throughout the war and after. The volunteer force prove to be a means of recruiting officers and other ranks that could not be otherwise be recruited into the regular force, due to age and qualification restrictions. Volunteer units played a vital role in Sri Lankan civil war in battles such as the Weli Oya, Kokavil and in the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection sustaining many casualties.
Cadet Corps
Since the formation of the first cadet platoon with students of the Royal College, Colombo which was attached to the Ceylon Light Infantry, the Cadet Battalion came under the Ceylon Defence Force. From 1949 the Ceylon Cadet Corps with its cadet battalions came under the Volunteer Force until 1988 when the National Cadet Corps was formed as a separate entity under the provisions of the Mobilization and Supplementary Forces Act, No. 40 of 1985.
Current units
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| Components |
| History |
| Equipment |
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| Welfare |
The SLAVF consists of about 50,000 volunteer combat officers and other ranks attached to various units and regiments of the Sri Lanka Army.
- 7th(v) Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
- 5th(v) Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment
- 12th(v) Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment
- 4th(v) Sri Lanka Engineers Regiment
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Signals Corps Regiment
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
- 5th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
- 9th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
- 14th(v) Sri Lanka Light Infantry
- 2nd(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
- 3rd(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
- 5th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
- 11th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
- 15th(v) Battalion, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment
- 2nd(v) Gemunu Watch
- 3rd(v) Gemunu Watch
- 10th(v) Gemunu Watch
- 14th(v) Gemunu Watch
- 15th(v) Gemunu Watch
- 2nd(v) Gajaba Regiment
- 5th(v) Gajaba Regiment
- 7th(v) Gajaba Regiment
- 11th(v) Gajaba Regiment
- 15th(v) Gajaba Regiment
- 2nd(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
- 3rd(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
- 10th(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
- 12th(v) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment
- 4th(v) Engineer Service Regiment
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Service Corps
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps
- (v) Ordnance Battalion
Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- (v) Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps
- (v) Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps
- 2nd(v) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
- 3rd(v) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
- 4th(v) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
- 5th(v) Sri Lanka Army Women's Corps
- 1st Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
- 2nd Battalion, Sri Lanka Rifle Corps
- 1st Sri Lanka National Guard
- 2nd Sri Lanka National Guard
- 3rd Sri Lanka National Guard
- 4th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 5th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 6th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 7th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 8th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 9th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 10th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 11th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 12th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 13th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 14th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 15th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 16th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 17th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 18th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 19th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 20th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 22nd Sri Lanka National Guard
- 23rd Sri Lanka National Guard
- 24th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 25th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 26th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 27th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 28th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 29th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 30th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 31st Sri Lanka National Guard
- 33rd Sri Lanka National Guard
- 34th Sri Lanka National Guard
- 35th Sri Lanka National Guard
Former units
- Ceylon Railway Engineer Corps
- Post and Telegraph Signals
- Ruhunu Regiment
- Rajarata Rifles
- National Service Regiment
- 2nd (V) Antiaircraft Regiment, Ceylon Artillery
- 2nd (V) Field/Plant Regiment, Ceylon Engineers
Training
SLAVF focuses on basic training for commissioned officers and other ranks, which is shorter in duration to the counter parts in the regular force and followed up with annual refresher training camps. Potential officers are mostly recruited between the ages of 18 and 26 years (regular force its 18 and 22 years) as officers cadets, who follow the Volunteer Commissioning Course (Volunteer Officer Cadet Intake) at the Sri Lanka Military Academy. The Volunteer Force Training School (VFTS) conducts shorted commissioning courses for direct entry and commissioning from other ranks selected as probationary officer. With the exception of commissioning from other ranks, all potential volunteer officers need to be processionals, employed as executive grades in public/private sector or have an private income of Rs.500,000 per year. Recruit training for other ranks takes place at regimental training battalions and units. VFTS conducts advance training programs such as staff and command courses for junior and senior volunteer officers.
Awards and decorations
- Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya - Since 1972 for Commissioned Officers.
- Karyakshama Seva Padakkama - Since 1972 for other ranks.
- Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal - Awarded on the 100th Anniversary of the Volunteer Force
- Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon) - 1930 to 1972 for Commissioned Officers.
- Efficiency Medal (Ceylon) - 1930 to 1972 for other ranks.
General of the Volunteer Force of the Army
Three former members of the volunteer force have been awarded the honorary rank of a General of the Volunteer Force of the Army.
- General Sir John Kotelawala — Former Prime Minister of Ceylon and Minister of Defense and External Affairs.
- General Ranjan Wijeratne — Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Defence.
- General Anuruddha Ratwatte — Former Minister of Power and Energy and Deputy Minister for Defence
Notable members
- Captain Saliya Upul Aladeniya - recipient of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya
- Karu Jayasuriya - Former Speaker of Parliament and Minister
- Nissanka Wijeyeratne — Former Minister
- C. P. J. Seneviratne — Former Minister
- Ravi Jayewardene - Former National Security Adviser
- Brigadier Christopher Allan Hector Perera Jayawardena - Senior Assistant Conservator of Forests and Aide-de-camp to the Governor-General
- Colonel F. C. de Saram - Deputy Commandant of the Volunteer Force, an accused members of the attempted military coup
- Major Victor Gunasekara - Former Controller of Imports Exports, Government Agent of Kegalle and Secretary to the Board of Control for Cricket.
- Major Duncan White - First Ceylonese Olympic Silver Medalist
- Susanthika Jayasinghe - Sri Lankan Olympic Silver Medalist
- Major Dinesh Chandimal - former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team
- Major Thisara Perera - former captain of the Sri Lanka national cricket team
- Lieutenant Colonel J.H.V. de Alwis — Commanding Officer, 2nd Volunteer Engineers, Ceylon Engineers, an accused members of the attempted military coup
- Lieutenant Colonel B.R. Jesudasan — Commanding Officer, 2nd Volunteer Signals, Ceylon Signals Corps, an accused members of the attempted military coup.
- Lieutenant Colonel Noel Mathyesz - Commanding Officer, Ceylon Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, an accused members of the attempted military coup in 1962.
- Captain J.A.R. Felix — Staff Officer, Ceylon Volunteer Force Headquarters, an accused members of the attempted military coup in 1962.
See also
References
- "Indias.com, Sri Lankan Army". Indias. Retrieved 2006-02-04.
- "History of the Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment, Sri Lanka Army". Sri Lanka Army. Archived from the original on 2006-07-08. Retrieved 2006-02-04.
